March 7th

No mission takes place without extensive planning, preparation, and prayer. God has the plan nailed down so that part is not on us. We have discussed the preparation, both on a personal spiritual level and overall. Now we need to revisit the prayer part.

Remember we are behind enemy lines, so we need to outwit the enemy and this is how we do our battle. If you think that you can go behind enemy lines without prayer coverage then you are mistaken and will end up neutralized, one way or another. Either you will end up not being a threat to the enemy (because you are not using your weapons or by not being an effective witness), or you will end up wounded and discouraged from banging your head on a wall over and over again without results.

So it is CRUCIAL that you pray. EVERY DAY. You would not decide to skip putting on clothes one day and just go out naked would you? (Don’t answer that!) This is essentially what we are doing when we don’t pray. And there is power in praying with others so make it a point to come together in prayer.

So, let’s review.

Prayer is our weapon, praying scripture is more powerful, praying according to God’s will is even more powerful!

Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Mark 9:29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

1 Timothy 2:1-4 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

Luke 22:40, 46 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

Matthew 18:18-20 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Jesus, thank you for praying for me. Help me to remember that and act like it. Help me to pray more and show me how to pray and who/what to pray for every day. Show me anything that might be hindering my prayers and help me to correct that. I need your guidance in this Holy Spirit, guide my prayers. Holy Spirit thank you for praying for me and through me. Thank you Jesus for your perfect love and perfect plan.

They were all Ordinary Men. -God has a plan for each of us to be a part of his plan! Today’s verse to remind us that He has called us (the ordinary) to do the extraordinary:

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.